Rail joint



D. vSMITH.

RAIL JOINT- APPLICATION FILED Nov. 21. I921.

Patented Sept. 1-9, 1922.

I E I Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

UNITED 1,429,543 PATENT- DAN SMITH, or ESTO, LOUISIANA.

RAIL aoin'r.

Application filed November 21, 1921. Serial No. 516,749.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAN SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Esto, in the parish of Sabine and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Rail Joint, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide a joint which will connect the ends of a pair of railroad rails in such a manner that low joints will be avoided, it being impossible for the ends of the rails to be separated under ordinary conditions, unusual security being afforded at the place where the rails om. 3 It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spiritof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows in elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a top plan; Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section on the line H of Figure 2: Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 2. a

The numeral 1 denotes a pair of railroad rails having reduced overlapped ends Each rail has an end surface 3 disposed at right angles to the length of the rail, a shoulder .4 disposed at right angles to the length of the rail, and a diagonal surface 5 extended between the Surfaces 3 and 4 to form the aforesaid reduced ends 2. The diagonal surfaces 5 of the ends 2 are disposed in contact, and the end surface 3 of one rail abuts against the shoulder 4 of the other rail. Further, an abutment 6 may extend between the ball of each rail and the base flange thereof, to receive the thinned end of the part 2 of the other rail.

In the diagonal surfaces 5 of the ends 2, oppositely disposed undercut grooves 7 are fashioned, retainers 8 being provided and being received in the grooves, the retainers being shaped to fit in the grooves, so as to limit the hold the ends 2 of the rails 1 against lateral separation. One or both of the ends 2 may be provided witl. stops 10 located at the lower ends of the grooves 7 and serving to downward movement of the retainers 8, so that a notch 11 formed in the edge of the retainer 8, will cooperate with alined openings 12 in the ends 2 of the rails l. Securing devices it such as bolts, are di posed in the openings 12 and fit in the notches or seats 11. The securing elements 14 exercise a two-fold function. First, they aid in holding the overlapped ends of the rails 1 together and, secondly, they hold the retainers 8 against upward movement, as they are received in the notches or seats 11 of the retainers. If desired, additional securing devices 15, such as bolts, may connect the overlapped ends 2 of the rails 1 independently of the retainers 8. lVhen the lower ends of the retainers 8 abut against the stops 10, the notches 11 of the retainers are alined with the openings 12 in the ends 2 of the rails, to receive the securing devices 14. Each retainer 8 may be supplied in its upper end with an undercut recess 16, adapted to receive a hook or like tool (not shown) whereby the retainers 8 may be withdrawn from the cooperating oppositely disposed undercut grooves 7.

The construction of the device, obviously, is such that an unusually secure joint will be afforded at the meeting ends of a pair of rails.

Although I am aware of the fact that dimensions ordinarily contribute nothing to patentable novelty, it is suggested that the joint, should be not less than three feet in length.

l/Vhat is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a pair of rails having reduced overlapped ends provided in their inner surfaces with cooperating vertical undercut grooves disposed opposite to each other and extended upwardly through the upper surface of the overlapped ends of the rails; a. retainer shaped to fit in the grooves and received therein, the retainer being engaged directly with the overlapped ends of the rails to hold them against lateral separation; and a securing device connecting the ends of the rails and engaging the retainer to hold the same against vertical movement.

2. In a device of the class described, a pair of rails having reduced overlapped ends, the

ends of the rails being provided With that the securing device will engage there- 10 oppositely disposed undercut grooves the With.

end of one rail having a stop at the lower In testimony that I claim the foregoing end of its groove; a retainer received in the as my oWn,I have hereto aflixed my signature grooves and shaped to fit therein; and a in the presence of two Witnesses.

securing device connecting the ends of the DAN SMITH. rails, the retainer having a seat receiving Witnesses:

the securing device, the retainer engaging J. E. HURs'r, the stop to dispose the seat in such a position A. P. LAsH. 

